The President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbai Jeenbekov outlined six priority areas of work for the Collective Security Treaty Organization for the coming year. Kyrgyzstan chairs the CSTO in 2019.

«Kyrgyzstan will make every effort to further enhance the capacity of the organization and improve its image in the international arena,» Sooronbai Jeenbekov said at the session of the CSTO Council in Astana (Kazakhstan).

According to him, growing uncertainty in international politics, the hotbeds of tension in the world, especially in the Middle East and Afghanistan, continue to negatively affect regional security. In this regard, the President of Kyrgyzstan highlighted the role of each of the organization’s member states in ensuring overall defense capability.

The terrorist threat does not decrease, the volumes of illegal drug trafficking, illegal migration, and crimes in cyberspace remain high. All this dictates the need for active interaction of the CSTO countries, including in terms of foreign policy coordination.

Sooronbai Jeenbekov

The head of state noted that the priorities of the Kyrgyz presidency over the CSTO were the increase of the capacity of the organization, completion of legal registration and switch to the daily work of the CSTO Crisis Response Center. In addition, it is necessary to develop a legal framework for the formation in countries of organization of bases with material reserves and to improve the preparation and use of collective forces of the CSTO.

It is necessary to develop cooperation between enterprises and organizations of the defense industry, to create service centers for the repair and maintenance of weapons and military equipment in the sphere of military-economic and military-technical cooperation.

In the sphere of countering modern challenges and threats, it is necessary to continue the formation of a common antiterrorist space, a single list and registry of organizations recognized as terrorist and extremist in the CSTO countries.

Sooronbai Jeenbekov

In addition, it is necessary to promote measures to implement the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and support efforts to promote an inter-Afghan peaceful political dialogue. As for the field of information support of the CSTO activities, it is necessary to continue activities for the formation and development of a positive image of the organization.

«I am sure that the mentioned areas meet the interests of all the CSTO countries and will serve to strengthen our collective security in the realities of the modern world. Objective circumstances require concerted and mutually beneficial decisions on a wide range of issues. Collective efforts are important in ensuring security not only in the interests of the welfare of the organization’s states, but also in the countries of our vast region. I consider it expedient to consistently expand the CSTO cooperation with interested countries and international structures,» Sooronbai Jeenbekov summed up.